Brad Farmers Message - Letter to the editor

Seeking the attention of every Queenslander who treasures their coastline is the spectre of loosing forever their last remaining public open spaces, such as the Gold Coast Southport Seaway region.

The Spit is last 1.5 kms of the 42 km so-called 'Surfer's Paradise' coastal strip. It is now seriously threatened by an absurd development; this time and possibly finally, by a proposal for a massive Shipping Port and major works, which will create irreversible ecological and social disturbance to this unique marine and family resource.

I believe the Queensland people deserve and demand better of a government elected for its moderate environment and heritage policies. This is this state government's opportunity to be decisive, as the future of the great Southport Spit hangs in the balance.

Everyone looses here - except the consumptive, faceless offshore corporations who profit from developing 'our' special area - a place which should be immediately declared a People's Park and Aquatic Sanctuary, gifted by the Koomemberri Aboriginal people to the Gold Coast.

This area has historically been a free, open and natural resource, certainly since my family arrived in Moreton Bay in 1840 and treasured for generations by all Queenslanders. It is most-enjoyed and visited jewel in the coastal crown, but now denied for the common future of coastal integrity for all, by a short-thinking state government.

Premier Beattie's aggressive development for a Shipping Port at Southport should be passionately opposed by every Queenslander, in aboslute favour of a 99 year Protected Coastal Zone Declaration.